Mission Statement of VCOE School Nurses
Valuing and Coordinating Opportunities for Educational Success and Wellness

VCOE Special Education Department Personnel recognize that students come to school with their own individual needs. Often these needs are health related. School health services are available to VCOE students for traditional school health matters such as first aid, vision and hearing screening, as well as for specialized needs such as gastrostomy feeding, suctioning, tracheostomy care and epi-pen. School nurses are available to assist and support students and classroom staff to assure a safe and healthy school day for each student and to enhance the opportunities for students to reach their maximum potential.

State Immunization/School Entry Health Guidelines

California School Immunization Law*:  (Please click for more information)     ENGLISH            SPANISH

 

First grade health exam:

All children entering kindergarten and first grade are required by California law to have either a certificate of a CHDP health examination or a waiver of such on file at the school in which they enroll. The CHDP program cooperates with the State Department of Education to administer and monitor this requirement and assists children and families to meet the requirement by providing health assessments for eligible children. Forms may be acquired at your school nurse's office. 

Click HERE to learn more about the Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) program

If Your Child Needs Medications and/or Specialized Health Care Services During the School Day

Does your child require medication (prescription or "over-the counter") during the school day?

Does your child need a Specialized Physical Health Care Service (G-tube feeding, suctioning, nebulizer, etc.) at school?

 

Special procedures are in place to assure safe administration of medications and health services:

1. We must receive your written request and a physician's written authorization prior to administering medication or providing a health service at school. Please ask your school nurse for authorization forms. The nurse will be glad to assist you in completing the forms and obtaining the authorization. 

Click HERE to download forms

2. All medications must be received at school in properly labeled containers from the pharmacy (name of medication, student name, dose, time, information must match authorization form) or in original unopened containers in the case of "over-the-counter" medications.

3. Medications must always be in the hands of a responsible adult -- parents hand to bus driver or school personnel; school hands to bus driver or parent. Please DO NOT put medications in a lunchbox, pre-mix in foods or put into your child's backpack.

4. It is the parent's responsibility to provide any medication or supplies and equipment required for Specialized Physical Health Care Services during the school day.

5. Once proper authorization and any necessary medication and/or supplies and equipment are received, a school nurse will promptly train staff to administer the medication and/or provide the Specialized Physical Health Care Service. Training must be arranged prior to the student coming to school.

6. If any medical issues arise during the school year, please notify the school nurse immediately. 

Additional Guidelines are in California Education Code Sections 49423, 49423.5 and 49480

When to Keep Your Child Home from School

Most students with mild illnesses can safely attend school. However, a student may be too sick to attend if (partial list- contact school nurse for further information):

  • The student does not feel well enough to participate comfortably in the program's activities
  • The staff cannot adequately care for the sick student without compromising the care of the other students.
  • The student has any of the following symptoms, until a health care provider determines that the student is well enough to attend and that the illness is not contagious:

Fever (above 99° F. axillary or above 100° F. orally) without the use of fever reducing medication accompanied by behavioral changes and other signs or symptoms of illness (e.g., the student looks and acts sick)

Signs or symptoms of possibly severe illness (e.g., persistent crying, extreme irritability, uncontrolled coughing, difficulty breathing, wheezing, lethargy)

Diarrhea- Changes from the student's usual stool pattern-increased frequency of stools, looser or watery stools, stools that run out of the diaper, or inability of the student to get to the bathroom in time

Vomiting more than once in the previous 24 hours

Mouth sores with drooling

Rash with a fever or behavioral change

  • The student has received any of the following diagnoses (partial list-contact school nurse for further information) from a health care provider, until treated and/or no longer contagious (medical release to return to school is required for some diagnoses):

Infectious conjunctivitis (pinkeye) (with eye discharge)- until 24 hours after treatment started and improvement is noted 

Scabies, head lice, or other infestation- until 24 hours after treatment or in the case of head lice the student is free of nits

Impetigo- until 24-48 hours after effective treatment started and improvement is noted; no fever

Strep throat, scarlet fever, or other strep infection- until 24 hours after treatment started (48 hours if the student cannot control oral secretions) and improvement is noted and the student is free of fever for 24 hours

Pertussis- until 5-7 days after effective treatment started

Tuberculosis (TB)- until a health care provider determines that the disease is not contagious

Chicken Pox- usually about 6 days after start of rash, until all sores have crusted over

Hepatitis A- until 7 days after start of symptoms and until jaundice (if present) has disappeared and student is able to participate in school program

Measles- until 5 days after start of rash

Rubella (German measles)- until 7 days after start of rash and no symptoms

Oral herpes (if student is drooling or lesions cannot be covered)- until lesions are dry and crusted